The European Aquaculture Technology & Innovation Platform

European aquaculture stakeholders, in a meeting held in Brussels in November 2007, agreed that important research and technological development (RTD) and innovation actions have to be taken in order to assure the growth and sustainability of European aquaculture.

Following the decision to create a European Technology Platform for Aquaculture to assist and implement such actions, 2008 has provided clear progress towards the realization of this ambitious exercise.

Presided by Gustavo Larrazábal A. (Tinamenor SL – Spain), the Board that was nominated at the Stakeholder meeting has worked throughout the year to provide solid foundations for establishing this entity and its ambitious goals. The platform will promote technical and economic excellence as the basis for the leadership potential of European aquaculture at the global level.

The Board has met on four occasions during the year, preparing and implementing the first stages of the actions anticipated of the Platform, including its formal registration.

The Platform has been named the EUROPEAN AQUACULTURE TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION PLATFORM (EATIP) and its main objectives are:

To enable stakeholders of relevant economic and societal interests to identify together the innovation challenges for their collective interests.

To develop a STRATEGIC RESEARCH AGENDA that responds to the challenges identified.

To implement the results of appropriate RTD through effective dissemination and technology transfer mechanisms.

The initial views prepared at the 2 Stakeholder Meetings held in 2007 were grouped within a draft Vision Document, which identified the main priorities to be examined. These are:

To establish a strong relationship between
aquaculture and the consumer

Including contributions to health, quality, traceability...

~To assure a sustainable aquaculture industry

~Covering social, environmental and economic issues

~Consolidate the role of aquaculture in society

~Addressing knowledge management, skill development,
communications, networking...

To achieve these priorities, the Board agreed to create 7 thematic areas, each of which is led by a Chair from the aquaculture profession, assisted by facilitators from the RTD sector and populated by additional experts from the professional and RTD areas.

The Thematic Areas of the Platform are:

~Product Quality & human safety & health

~Technology & Systems

~Managing the biological lifecycle

~Sustainable feed production

~Integration with the environment

~Aquatic animal health & welfare

~Knowledge management

And the work of each will contribute to the development of the Strategic Research Agenda of EATIP, through debate and discussion with the stakeholders of European aquaculture.

In following the requirement for openness and transparency of such initiatives, the third stakeholders meeting will be held in Ghent (Belgium) on the 3rd February 2009.

This meeting will present full details on the progress made for the Platform’s organization and response to the objectives defined.

So as to provide a clear and durable operating structure, the EATIP has been registered as a non-profit association and the statutes and membership conditions have been prepared for this purpose. The first General Assembly of the EATIP will therefore be held during the 3rd Stakeholders Meeting, at which point the Board will present its report for 2008 and its propositions for future actions.

This meeting is open to all stakeholders who are interested in participating in this important event and registration will be open on the EATIP website (www.eatip.eu) from the 12th January 2009.

2) EATIP Board of Directors:

Gustavo Larrazábal (Chairman)- Tinamenor SL

Petter Arnesen – Marine Harvest AS

Arnault Chaperon – Groupe Viviers Akerseafoods France

Torgeir Edvardsen - SINTEF

Viggo Halseth – Nutreco AS

Knut Molaug – AKVA Group

Patrick Smith – Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health

François Simard – International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Patrick Sorgeloos – University of Ghent

John Stephanis – Selonda SA

3) EATIP Contact details:

To assist its development and operation, EATIP receives organizational support from the Secretariats of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) and the Federation of Compound Feed Manufacturers (FEFAC).

Courtney Hough, General Secretary of the FEAP, assures the coordinating role for this. 

EATIP Secretariat c/o Courtney Hough – secretariat@eatip.eu